Parasites, and more particularly the parasites, varroa jacobsini are an ongoing problem for Queen Producers, Package Bee Producers, Honey Producers, Beekeepers engaged in crop pollination. All presently available methods of treating infested hives require the users to initially open the infested hives and insert a chemical therein which is toxic to the parasites. After approximately six weeks the hives must be reopened and the chemical initially inserted therein must be removed. Prior to both the opening and the reopening of the hives, the bees therein must be pacified with smoke. This process is extremely time consuming. Another problem with these processes is that during the extended period of exposure to the inserted chemicals, the honey in the hives becomes tainted. Yet another problem with these existing treatment methods, is that in addition to the expense of the intense labor involved, the chemicals themselves are expensive. To treat ten thousand hives, chemicals typically cost $40,000. Yet another problem is resistance build up. The treatment chemicals used must be rotated every 2-3 years to avoid resistance build up.
What is needed is a quick treatment, a treatment and method of application which can be undertaken without opening the hives. Most preferably the treatment should not require a user to subsequently reopen the hives to remove undissipated chemical therefrom thereby avoiding a repeat of the time consuming process of pacifying the bees with smoke and reclosing the hive. Ideally the chemical which is toxic to the parasites should be relatively non-toxic to people. It would be preferable if the parasites could not build resistance to the chemical employed so that it would not be necessary monitor stocks and rotation of the chemicals. And finally, the use of a parasitic compound which is relatively inexpensive would be unquestionably preferred.